Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety42#534/924
Economy79#191/925
Housing53#437/925
Health69#283/925
Healthcare91#86/923
Environment4#884/917
Education85#141/925
Infrastructure93#66/925
Community48#484/925
Leisure & amenities61#361/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Columbus, OH metro area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Broadband subscriptions · high93.6%
95/100Ohio 90.1%United States 91.0%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B28002
Distance to an airport · low14 mi
92/100Ohio 30 miUnited States 33 mi2025Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauAggregated from counties
Average weekly wage · high$1,401
92/100Ohio $1,313United States $1,5142025U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Flu vaccinations · high52.5%
91/100Ohio 48.0%United States 44.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Drought exposure · low3%
91/100Ohio 11%United States 43%Oct 2025–Sep 2026National Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAAAggregated from counties
Access to exercise opportunities · high89.4%
90/100Ohio 84.2%United States 84.5%2022 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties

Weaknesses

Median Air Quality Index · high54
5/1002025U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Comfortable days · low23.1%
10/100Ohio 23.4%United States 26.8%2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationAggregated from counties
Effective property tax rate · high1.42%
11/100Ohio 1.36%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Days with unhealthy air · high2.2%
15/1002025U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) · high8.6 µg/m³
16/100Ohio 8.5 µg/m³United States 8.0 µg/m³2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyAggregated from counties
Loneliness · high36.7%
18/100Ohio 36.0%United States 33.2%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Drug overdose deathsImproving
49.5 /100k (2021) → 19.5 /100k (Mar 2025–Feb 2026)
−61%5 yearsUS 30.8 /100k → 18.4 /100k
Homicide rateImproving
11.3 /100k (2021) → 5.4 /100k (May 2025–Apr 2026)
−52%5 yearsUS 7.8 /100k → 4.8 /100k
Mental health providersImproving
273 /100k (2021) → 375 /100k (2025)
+37%4 yearsUS 282 /100k → 348 /100k
Cost of buying a home todayWorsening
23.6% (Dec 2021) → 30.8% (Aug 2026)
+7.2 pts5 yearsUS 26.4% → 34.1%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
86.7% (2015-2019) → 93.6% (2020-2024)
+6.8 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Adult smokingImproving
20.3% (2019) → 14.1% (2023)
−6.3 pts4 yearsUS 16.5% → 16.1%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Columbus, OH metro area improved on 16 of 32 measures with a comparison and declined on 8. 2 moved within the margin of error and 6 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved16

Overdose deaths−61%49.4 /100k → 19.5 /100k
Arts & recreation+19%3.5 /10k → 4.2 /10k
Homicides−44%9.7 /100k → 5.4 /100k
Violent crime−28%343 /100k → 249 /100k
Firearm deaths−8.5%13.9 /100k → 12.7 /100k

Declined8

Suicides+32%11.7 /100k → 15.5 /100k
Price / income+0.8×2.8× → 3.7×
Uninsured+1.1 points7.6% → 8.7%
Transit use−0.6 points1.7% → 1.1%
Rent / income+1.1 points27.2% → 28.3%

All 32 measures

Change of every measure of Columbus, OH metro area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	3.5 /10k2020	4.2 /10k2025	+19%	Improved	73%
Average commute time	24.1 min2015-2019	23.6 min2020-2024	−0.5 min	Little change	76%
Average weekly wage	$1,1532020	$1,4012025	+22%	Improved	34%
Bachelor's degree or higher	36.7%2015-2019	39.8%2020-2024	+3.1 points	Improved	57%
Broadband subscriptions	86.7%2015-2019	93.6%2020-2024	+6.8 points	Improved	22%
Child poverty rate	18.5%2015-2019	16.2%2020-2024	−2.3 points	Improved	49%
Distance to an airport	14 mi2020	14 mi2025	+0 mi	Little change	9%
Drug overdose deaths	49.4 /100k2020	19.5 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	−61%	Improved	91%
Effective property tax rate	1.76%2015-2019	1.42%2020-2024	−0.3 points	Little change	93%
Firearm deaths	13.9 /100k2020	12.7 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−8.5%	Improved	63%
Grocery stores	1.5 /10k2020	1.5 /10k2025	−0.5%	Little change	48%
Gyms and fitness centers	1.3 /10k2020	1.4 /10k2025	+10%	Improved	59%
High school diploma or higher	91.5%2015-2019	92.2%2020-2024	+0.7 points	Within the margin of error	19%
Home price to income ratio	2.8×2015-2019	3.7×2020-2024	+0.8×	Declined	18%
Homicide rate	9.7 /100k2020	5.4 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−44%	Improved	72%
Income adjusted for local prices	$54,4022019	$71,3282024	+31%	Improved	45%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4582015-2019	0.4602020-2024	+0.002	Within the margin of error	47%
Median household income	$65,1502015-2019	$81,9452020-2024	+26%	Improved	44%
New business applications	13.4 /1k2020	17.6 /1k2025	+31%	Improved	28%
Pharmacies	1.7 /10k2020	1.5 /10k2025	−11%	Declined	43%
Poverty rate	13.2%2015-2019	12.3%2020-2024	−0.9 points	Improved	49%
Property crime rate	2,281 /100k2020	1,694 /100k2025	−26%	Improved	33%
Public libraries	0.4 /10k2019	0.4 /10k2024	+1.2%	Little change	72%
Public transit commuters	1.7%2015-2019	1.1%2020-2024	−0.6 points	Declined	30%
Rent as share of income	27.2%2015-2019	28.3%2020-2024	+1.1 points	Declined	34%
Rent-burdened households	43.5%2015-2019	45.6%2020-2024	+2.1 points	Declined	39%
Restaurants and bars	8.0 /10k2020	8.1 /10k2025	+1%	Little change	50%
Suicide rate	11.7 /100k2020	15.5 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+32%	Declined	15%
Traffic deaths	9.1 /100k2015-2019	9.9 /100k2020-2024	+9.2%	Declined	46%
Unemployment rate	7.1%2020	4.3%2025	−2.8 points	Improved	44%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	7.6%2015-2019	8.7%2020-2024	+1.1 points	Declined	17%
Violent crime rate	343 /100k2020	249 /100k2025	−28%	Improved	71%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 708 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 925 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Metro and micro areas like Columbus, OH metro area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Columbus, OH metro area in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Columbus, OH metro area itself moved −0.7 points in standing on average over the same 30 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

2,175,788 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

864,663 households (±2,165)

Columbus, OH metro area
United States share

Under $25k13%112,626
$25k–50k17%146,204
$50k–75k16%140,595

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

864,663 households (±2,165)

Columbus, OH metro area
United States share

Own61%530,433
Rent39%334,230

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

1,096,546 workers (±5,213)

Columbus, OH metro area
United States share

Drive alone70%768,028
Carpool6.9%75,464
Public transit1.1%11,675

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The 10 largest occupations in Columbus, OH employ 255,980 people. 3 pay a median above the US median and 7 below it.

Above the US median
Below the US median

The largest occupations in Columbus, OH by employment, with median annual pay and how it compares with the United States
Occupation	Jobs	Median pay	vs USCompared with the US	Concentration
Fast Food and Counter Workers31,590 jobs	31,590	$28,670US $31,200	−8%	1.15×
Registered Nurses30,510 jobs	30,510	$83,900US $97,550	−14%	1.27×
Stockers and Order Fillers30,130 jobs	30,130	$39,040US $37,330	+5%	1.5×
General and Operations Managers29,070 jobs	29,070	$102,590US $105,770	−3%	1.17×
Home Health and Personal Care Aides27,580 jobs	27,580	$34,880US $35,800	−3%	0.9×
Retail Salespersons26,850 jobs	26,850	$33,780US $35,410	−5%	0.97×
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand25,800 jobs	25,800	$41,200US $40,240	+2%	1.23×
Customer Service Representatives18,550 jobs	18,550	$46,350US $44,770	+4%	1.01×
Office Clerks, General18,110 jobs	18,110	$44,830US $45,010	0%	1.03×
Cashiers17,790 jobs	17,790	$30,140US $32,880	−8%	0.81×

Look up any occupation

Search more than 800 occupations and see what they pay in Columbus, OH.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025-05 (all industries and ownerships) bls.gov/oes

Reference period: 2025-05. BLS publishes metro areas, states and the nation (not counties or cities), so a county or city page shows its metro area.
Pay is not adjusted for the cost of living, so a higher median does not mean more purchasing power.
BLS caps the highest wages it publishes: where a figure is shown as “or more”, the real value is at least that much.
Some occupations (teachers, performers) are published by the hour or school year and shown here as an annual figure.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

Columbus, OH has 46,419 employer establishments, 212 for every 10,000 residents (0.85× the US rate of 248), with 985,064 paid employees at an average annual pay of $61,195. The Census Bureau also counts 202,964 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 46,419; 202,964 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 212; US 248
Paid employees: 985,064
Average annual pay: $61,195; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Columbus, OH by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	4,198	19.2	0.92×About typical	71,817	$67,741	10,974
Restaurants and other eating places	3,777	17.2	0.94×About typical	83,297	$21,881	935
Lessors of real estate	2,487	11.3	0.92×About typical	14,667	$69,134	18,409
Specialty trade contractors	2,411	11	0.71×Fewer than typical	30,375	$73,224	12,485
Limited-service restaurants	1,932	8.8	1.10×About typical	39,789	$19,207	417
Full-service restaurants	1,399	6.4	0.83×About typical	37,471	$25,090	323
Religious organizations	1,187	5.4	0.98×About typical	11,502	$27,650	—
Services to buildings and dwellings	1,175	5.4	0.79×Fewer than typical	14,998	$39,965	10,637
Offices of physicians	1,117	5.1	0.79×Fewer than typical	21,189	$113,575	1,681
Management, scientific and technical consulting	1,099	5	0.75×Fewer than typical	10,163	$96,728	7,739
Offices of other health practitioners	1,082	4.9	0.81×About typical	7,463	$53,421	3,640
Construction of buildings	1,064	4.9	0.64×Fewer than typical	9,754	$87,103	5,275

Rank places for an industry

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 2,192,164 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $885.3M on contracts performed in Columbus, OH metro area: $395 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $885.3M; −24% vs FY2025
Per resident: $395; US $1,994
Sole-source: 23%; US 30%
Single offer: 13%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Defense Logistics Agency$210.2M24%
Department of the Air Force$137.9M16%
U.S. Customs and Border Protection$106.2M12%
National Science Foundation$48.1M5.4%
Department of Veterans Affairs$43.4M4.9%
Department of the Army$35.2M4.0%
Department of the Navy$34.4M3.9%
Office of Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response$33M3.7%

Top recipients

BATTELLE MEMORIAL INSTITUTE$258.8M29%
DAVENPORT AVIATION INC$112.5M13%
HUSKY MARKETING AND SUPPLY COMPANY$61.3M6.9%
THE BOEING COMPANY$38.1M4.3%
INTEGRIS COMPOSITES, INC.$24.4M2.8%

Spending by fiscal year

763.6MFY2017
755.7MFY2018
1.1BFY2019
1.1BFY2020
1.4BFY2021
1.1BFY2022
1.4BFY2023
1.1B

Top industries (NAICS)

Scientific research and development services · 5417$123.7M14%
Medical equipment and supplies manufacturing · 3391$102.3M12%
Petroleum and coal products manufacturing · 3241$61.5M6.9%
Facilities support services · 5612$51.9M5.9%
Architectural, engineering, and related services · 5413$50.3M5.7%
Aerospace product and parts manufacturing · 3364

Largest awards

8508157598!MICROCIRCUIT,DIGITA$328.6M
BAE SYSTEMS INFORMATION AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS INTEGRATION INC.· Franklin County, OH· Other equipment & supplies· May 6, 2021 – Apr 13, 2026· SPE7MX21C0002
ARCTIC RESEARCH SUPPORT AND LOGISTICS SERVICES (ARSLS)$283M
BATTELLE MEMORIAL INSTITUTE· Franklin County, OH· Professional services· Dec 20, 2019 – Sep 23, 2026· 49100420C0001
THE CONTRACTOR SHALL PROVIDE TECHNICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT TO THE OFFICE OF ENTERPRISE ASSESSMENT IN SUPPORT OF ITS MISSION TO PROVIDE THE SECRETARY OF ENERGY AND SENIOR DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY MANAGERS WITH AN INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFEC$213.6M
UNWIN CO· Franklin County, OH· Professional services· Feb 21, 2020 – Aug 28, 2026· 89303020CEA000004

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $12.8B in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Columbus, OH metro area: $5,731 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $12.8B; +4.5% vs FY2025
Per resident: $5,731; US $12,955
Loan face value: $2.5B; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 0.4%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$6.4B50%
93.774 · Medicare Supplementary Medical Insurance$1.2B9.6%

Counties in Columbus, OH

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

ColumbusPrincipal city914,802

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Ohio

Areas based in Ohio, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
Air Quality Index Annual Summary by CountyU.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2025
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement
Zillow Home Value Index, Observed Rent Index and affordabilityZillow Research · release 2026-08

JSON · /api/v1/places/M18140

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved16

Declined8

Metro and micro areas like Columbus, OH metro area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Getting to work

How people get to work

Jobs and pay

Look up any occupation

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Counties in Columbus, OH

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Ohio

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved16

Declined8

Age and sex

Household income

Owners and renters

How people get to work

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Time to get to work

Look up any occupation

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

By type

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates